Sunshade-hat



( N 0 Model.) 4 SheefcsSheet 1" R. RAY.

SUNSHADE HAT.

No. 588,241. 7 Patented Aug 17,1897;

2 t e e h S Sb Bu 6 h S 4 1 A H AB RM w R U S (No Model.)

Patented Aug. 17, 1897.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 3. R. RAY. SUNSH-ADE HAT.

I (No Model.)

No; 588,241. Patented Aug. 17, 1897.-

A e B h S t 6 h S T .A Y AH Rm R U S (No Model.)

Patented Aug. 17, 1897.

"ii uonms PETERS cc. Manama. wumin'rou, u. c.

shape of a spread umbrella.

I UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

RICHARD BAY, OF STARKE, FLORIDA.

SUNSHADE-HAT.

srncrrrcarron forming part of Letters Patent no. 588,241, dated August 17, 1897.

Application filed April 2, 1897. Serial No. 630,458. (No model.) i

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD RAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Starke,.in the county of Bradford and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sunshade-Hats, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

My invention has for its object to provide a cheap 'and convenient hat which may be worn as a sunshade and which is collapsible, so that it can be folded into comparatively small compass for transportation or when not in use. To this end myimproved hat, the body of which consists of one or more thicknesses of suitable textile fabric,preferably comprises a plurality of curved or otherwise-bent distending-ribs, which are pivoted or hinged at their ends to the rim or periphery of the hatbody, so that they may be folded together so as to lie in approximately the same plane when the hat is to be flattened out or may be turned up into operative position to distend the hat into an umbrella-like shape, orthe These distending-ribs, when placed in operative or distending positions, all cross each other and may be retained in place by a hook or other detachable engaging device, if made of round wire,

or if made of slender flattened metal bars they will remain in operative position with sufficient reliability whe'n used in connection with a stiff crown-piece, against which they will press in distending the hat, so that their frictional contact therewith will hold them in position.

For lightness and cheapness of construction the hat-support, which is to rest upon the head of the wearer, consists, preferably, of-a head cord or band which is connected with the rim of the hat either by wires or cords and which is preferably made expansible or contractible to suit heads of different sizes by means of a slip-knot loop at one end of the head-cord, passing through a suitable hook or loop at the other end thereof. Thus the hat will rest lightly on the head of the wearer and maybe held in place by means of one or more safety-cords attached to the hat and intended to be passed beneath the chin of the wearer or otherwise, said safetycords being preferably made adjustable as to length by slip-knots, so as to be readily tightened or loosened. Codperating with the headcord referred to I also preferably employ a series of stay-cords, which are attached at their ends to the rim of the hat and which, c'rossin g each other above the said head-cord, pass over the top of the head of the wearer, so that a portion of the weight of the hat may be supported thereby, and these cords will preferably be sufficiently taut so that they will not be pushed upward into contact with the distending-ribs or the top of the hat, and thus the wearers head will be prevented from coming into contact with the 'distending-ribs or the inside of the top of the hat. This of course will permit of the free circulation of air over the top of the head of the wearer, contributing to coolness and comfort.

The center or crown portion of the hat-body is preferably provided with a stiffening or bracing device which receives the pressure of the distending-ribs when the hat is to be pressed into shape for use, and this stiffening or bracing device may be either in the form of a circular piece of cardboard or other suitable stitt' material placed either between the plies of the fabric constituting the body of the hat or inside-thereof, or it may consist merely of a light metal ring formed of wire or other suitable material.

To render my hat a better non-conductor of the heat of the suns rays, the crown portion or top of the body thereof is preferably stuffed or lined with cotton or other suitable light non-conductin g material, and, if desired, this top or crown portion maybe held slightly distended above the stiffening or crown piece by means of curved spring-ribs.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a Vertical section of one form of my improved hat in its distended or wearing shape, and Fig. 2 is an inside plan view thereof. Fig. 2 is a detail view illustrating the hinge or joint connection of one of the distending-ribs with the rim of the hat. Fig. 3 is an edge View of the hat shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in a folded or collapsed condition, and Fig. 4 is an inside plan View of the same. Figs. 5 and 6 are Views similar to Figs. 1 and 2,-illustrating a slightly-different form" of my invention; and Fig. 6 is a detail view to illustrate the hinge or joint of one of the distcnding-ribs of the form of my hat shown in Figs. 5 and 0. Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional and inside plan views, respectively, of still another form of my invention.

The body portion A of my improved hat consists, preferably, of two plies of anysuitable textile fabric cut into proper form and preferably distended circularly by a rim-ring (t of wire or other suitable spring metal which will give the hat proper form. Suitably pivoted at their ends to the rim of the hat are curved or otherwise-bent distendingribs B, which when in their operative positions are arranged to cross each other at or near the center of the crown of the hat, so as to give the latter a distended shape likethat of a spread umbrella. Any suitable number of these distending-ribs may be employed, but two or three of them only are sufficient. These distending-ribs, being pivoted at their ends to the rim of the hat, may, when desired, be swung down so as to be brought into approximately the same plane, and thus permit the hat to be flattened out when it is not in use. To permit these distending-ribs to operate properly in stretching the hat into wearing shape, the crown of the hat is preferably provided with a stiffening or bracing device, which maybe in the form of a disk of cardboard or other stiff material a or may be sim 1 Y a li ht rin e of wire or other suitable material. These distending-ribs may be pivoted directly to the rim of the hat or to the dist'ending rim-ring a thereof by pins or pivots b, passing through both parts thereof, or the ends of these distending-ribs may enter sockets, as W, which are in turn joined by pivot-pins b to the rim of the hat. \Vheu these socket-pieces Z) are employed, it is obvious that the distending-ribs may be readily inserted therein or removed therefrom at pleasure, and this construction will be foundeonvenient in putting the hat together.

As the hat-support I preferably employ a head cord or band D, one end of which may be provided with a slip-knot (Z, passing through a metal hook or loop (1, secured to the other end thereof, thereby rendering the said headcord adjustable as to size to fit different persons. This head-cord is connected with the rim of the hat and is held distended by a suitable number of wires or cords (Z I11 order that the head of the wearer may be prevented from coming in contact with the top of the hat and so as to afford a free circulation of air over the top of the wearers head, I provide a series of stay-cords e, which are attached at their ends to the rim of the hat and which cross each other at the center of the hat above the said head-cord to form a skeleton support which will rest lightly 011 the top of the head of the wearer and which will, as just stated, prevent the inside of the hat from coming in contact with the wearers head, the hat being supported on the head by means of these stay-cords e and the head-cord D. As

the wearer one or more safety or attaching cords f to pass beneath the chin of the wearer or to be otherwise disposed are preferably employed, these safety-cords being attached at their ends to the head-cord D and being preferably made adjustable as to length by means of slip-knots or otherwise, so that they may be readily tightened or loosened.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 the distending-ribs B are provided with angular bends, so that the form of the hat in connection with which they are used is approximately that of a truncated cone, but in the form of my invention shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 the distending-ribs B are simply curved ribs, which give the hat when distended for use an umbrella or dome like shape. These distending ribs when made of round wire, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, have but little frictional hold on the textile body portion of the hat when it is in distended shape, and for detachably fastening them in place I preferably employ a retaining device which may be made in the form of a hook U, which can be engaged with all the ribs at the apex or central crown portion of the hat where they cross each other, and thus said hook will hold all of the said ribs in place.

To prevent the heat of the suns rays from penetrating the hat, the top of the crown thereof may be stuffed or lined with cotton. or other suitable light non-conducting material g, which maybe placed between the plies of the body of the hat or between the hat-body and the stiff crown-piece c, and the textile body of the hat above the stuffing or non-conducting material will preferably be held distended or rounded up by curved spring-ribs g, the ends of which brace against the said stiff crown-piece.

It will be understood, of course, that either of the forms of distending-ribs herein shown may be employed either in connection with the stitfening crown-piece or bracing device 0 or with the bracing-ring o illustrated, or that these distending-ribs may be used either with or without the socket-pieces in which the ends of the ribs shown in Fig. 6 are illustrated as being inserted. Also, by employing the stiff crown-piece c in connection with the curved springs g the distending-ribs l3 and the crossing stay or supporting cords might be omitted, as in such case the said stiff crown-piece might rest on the head of the wearer or be suitably supported above the head by any sort of a light folding frame or other support. It will also be understood that the details of my invention may be otherwise varied within the province of mechanical skill without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A folding sunshade-hat comprising the the hat thus rests lightly upon the head of 1 combination with a suitable body portion, of

ICC

bent distending-ribs which are arranged to cross each other and which are hinged or pivoted at their ends to the rim of the hat so that v they may be brought into operative position to distend the hat-body, or may be folded down into a common level, or approximately so, when the hat is to be collapsed or flattened out, said ribs extending continuously across the hat-body.

2. A sunshade-hat comprising a suitable body portion'provided with a circular rimring by which the same is held distended circularly, combined with a head cord or band and a series of cords or connecting devices joining said head-cord with the ri1n,of the hat, and bent distending-ribs crossing each other and extending continuously from one edge to the other of the hat-body and'pivoted at their ends to the rim of the hat and crossing eachother above the said head-cord, and cross ing distending-ribs pivoted at their outer ends to the rim of the hat.

4. A folding sunshade-hat comprising the combination with a suitable body portion, of bent distending-ribs crossing each otherand hinged or pivoted at their ends to the rim of the hat, so that they may be brought into operative position to distend the hat-body, or

may be folded down into a common level, or

approximately so. when the hat is to be fiattened out, and a head cord or band suitably connected with the rim of the hat.

5. A folding sunshade-hat comprising the combination with a suitable body portion, of bent distending-ribs crossing each other and hinged or pivoted at their ends to the rim of the hat so that they may be brought into operative position to distend thehat-body or may be folded down into a common level, or approximately so, when the hat is to be flattened out, said ribs extending continuously across the hat-bod y, a head cord or band suitably connected with the rim of the hat and a series of stay-cords connected at their ends to the rim of the hat and crossing each other above said head-cord.

6. A folding sunshade-hat comprising the combination with a suitable body portion, of a series of bent distending-ribs crossing each other and extending continuously across the body of the hat, and a series of sockets pivoted or hinged to the rim of the hat and into which sockets the ends of the said distendingribs are inserted.

7. A folding sunshade-hat comprising the combination with a suitable body portion, of bent distending-ribs which are hinged or pivoted at their ends to the rim of the hat so that they may be placed either in operative or folding positions, and a stiffening or bracing device in the crown or central portion of the hat which is to receive the pressure of said distending-ribs.

8. A folding sunshade-hat comprising the combination with a suitable body portion, of bent distending-ribs which are hinged or connected at their ends to the rim of the hat so that they may be placed either in operative or folding positions, and which are arranged .to crosseach other at the apex or crown of the hat when they are in their operative positions, a stiffening or bracing device in the crown or central portion of the hat which is to receive the pressure of said distendingribs, and a fastening device or hook by which the said crossing distending-ribs may all be held in their operative positions when the hat is distended for use.

9. A sunshade-hat consisting of a textile collapsible body portion provided with folding ribs crossing each other and by which the hat, when in operative shape, is suitably distended, said hat having at its apex or central crown portion a lining of cotton or similar light non-conducting material 9 to serve .as a non-conductor to prevent the passage of the heat-rays of the sun, combined with curved spring-ribs g braced against said stiif crown-piece and serving to distend the crown or central portion of the hat.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD RAY.

Witnesses:

N. W. HAOKET'I, E. L-. STEWART. 

